Feature: Making Delicious Cupcakes
Cupcake Classes with Delish Cupcakes
Courtney Bennett discovers how to make the perfect cupcake with Delish Cupcakes of Forrest Hill.
If you’ve been an avid cupcake eater for far too long like me, now is the perfect time to learn the ins and outs of making the perfect cupcake yourself!
Delish Cupcakes, owned by cupcake connoisseurs Colleen Holden and Kathryn Stoddart, is a Forrest Hill shop devoted to cupcakes and all things pretty and sweet! Colleen and Kathryn’s team run cupcake decorating classes, once or twice monthly, for wannabe cupcake experts and
baking enthusiasts.
Being no kitchen wiz myself, I went along with my decorating hat on, never imagining that I would create something as pretty as the 'real' Delish cupcakes. I was pleasantly surprised when I came away with four (near) perfect looking cupcakes. And it was lots of fun.
The cupcake decorating class focuses mostly on how to decorate the cupcakes. The beginning of the class is like a tutorial. The Delish girls share their tips about how to make perfect looking cupcakes and they also explain the mysteries of making butter cream icing. Turns out you don’t need to be a Michelin star chef to make it successfully.
After the tips, cupcake apprentices spend time learning the different ways to ice cupcakes – piping techniques and tricks such as creating a pretty rose petal shape and crafting a perfect twirl. Flavouring and colouring butter cream are also touched on during the class.
The best thing about the Delish Cupcake class was that every tip and trick was taught in a simple and achievable way. Afterwards, you get a handy sheet filled with helpful tips and important things to remember.
We left the class with four delicious and beautifully decorated cupcakes and most importantly, the confidence to replicate our designs at home, which is what I did that very weekend. My new found skills served me well and I successfully baked and decorated a batch of cupcakes on my own!
Delish Cupcakes is the result of two cupcake-obsessed former corporate career women, whose love of baking quickly turned into a successful business. The business partners began baking at night in a shared commercial kitchen, after working their full time office jobs during the day. Before long Delish became bigger than a hobby and the duo went out on their own, opening their Forrest Hill retail store.
Life as cupcake bakers can be challenging but both Colleen and Kathryn
agree it’s a dream job. “It's lovely creating a product that will be enjoyed by so many people of all ages. Sure, getting out of bed insanely early to bake makes for a long day, some times we even nod off in the early evening but its worth it when we watch someone bite into one of our cupcakes for the first time,” says
Colleen Holden.
You will find a wide range of specialty cupcakes in store daily, from the classics like chocolate and vanilla to more original tastes such as red velvet
and chai. They also offer a range of gourmet stuffed cupcakes with delicious, decadent centres.
Delish Cupcake classes are perfect for baking lovers of all ages – whether you have never baked before or want to learn how to make your cupcakes look professionally decorated – the Delish Cupcakes decorating class also makes an ideal gift this Christmas.
Cost: Just $55 for two hours of tips, demonstrations, practice,
a hot drink and four decorated cupcakes to take home.
Delish Cupcakes, Shop 4,14-16 Raines Ave, Forrest Hill, Phone: 974 3349
or visit: www.delishcupcakes.co.nz
